We do a lot of Clowing but never have had the chance to do gospel clowing. We have been asked to do a end of summer and back to school program for a Church near by. Was wondering where to start and what to have and what not to have? Was thinking on the lines of choosing our friends and how pear pressure can influence bad choices pluss how we can rely on god to help us thru eachdays journey. My problm is to come up with magic, balloons, and songs to make tis fun anda great teaching for the youth. Does anyone have any suggestions that would help.
where to look or any ideas. Thanks far in advance. I want this to be more for the children and hope we can be a messenger for our Father in Heaven.

There are alot of websites with great skits ideas for Gospel Clowning.

Oogie, how much of the program will you be responsible for? Will you be doing 20 min. opening every night or a more substantial portion of the program? Is this Vacation Bible School? Is there a theme to the event? If so, you can ask to see some of the teachers' manuals to get some ideas.

to add to Pickles questions, what age group and how many children. some churches are very small some very large. If you can give us more detail on time frame and what they specifcally asked for I'll be glad to share some of the things we've done.

This will be a small Church and It is I think after ther VBS. They will be handing out school supplies to the kids and will be like a end of summer party plus back to school. They wan us there for about a hr. show plus we will help hand out the supplies to the kids. They would like magic, skit and balloons but with some type of gospel theme.
so we are planning on show, skit and balloon hats for the first hr. then ever how long to help. Hope this is enough info. Thanks for the replies.

I pm a couple of routines with instructions,
action songs having one or two might be good, often they are part of vbs but there so much they may not use them all, they maybe one you can use and work up to use as a clown routine and audience participation.

Thanks Saphire Sue,
Both routines look great. I have used the one on peer pressure before and that is truly a good one. When you say action songs do you use your own or songs from CD's? We use some of the CD's from the learning station and get a very big response from them but didn't know if those would be good for this venue or not. Have heard that there are some CD's with Christian theme action songs but haven't found any as of yet but will search a bit more. Thanks so much for your help and look forward to learning more. These have been a big help.

Was thinking on the lines of choosing our friends and how pear pressure can influence bad choices .

I know you mean to say "peer" pressure. But when I read this, I started thinking about how you could come up with a funny skit by having one of you thinking that PEER pressure is really PEAR pressure. This could involve wax pears, a pressure cooker, standing on the pears, etc. I dunno. Just a thought.

Oogie
Do you know the song
I've got the Joy down in my Heart?

I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart !
Down in my heart. Down in my heart...?
I have a skit for that if you know the song.
The love of Jesus in my heart.

There is a skit i do with a large piece of paper which is a teaching time that is quite effective. It is a clown face at the end of it all.
You start in the center of the page and you draw a circle.
You ask the kids what it is?
You do not let the kids see you draw any of that.
It is a circle..You ask the kids what does the circle not have?
Some say corners. sides etc... the kids are never wrong!!!
The answer is a beginning or an end.
I ask what does not have a beginning or an end and they may know but it is Love.
The circle of Love that never ends.
Next I draw big arches for eye brows. I tell them that through out my life I have had ups and downs. Like a roller coaster. But there was always others around to help me and make me stronger and I got through.
Next I draw under the circle I make a big smile, one line. I tell them that though we have ups and downs and hard times there are always good times in our lives.
Next I draw 2 eyes big so they can see.
I show them the picture without the inner circles then I draw them for them to see. I tell them that with God's Love and the Love of others in our life we are able to see.
Next I draw a big heart for lips and tell them that the Love of God will help us to see and to Love others.
So then I draw curly's for hair in between the eye brows and tell them that things can get pretty hairy.
Then I go under the face and make a collar and make it wavy and tell them that even though things go up and down in their life that if they have Love from God and other people like their family and friends then they can go far.
Then I draw hearts for cheeks and I let them see it..because when we have Love we can do All Things..
I give the face away.
It is very effective

I do another clown skit with the song I've got the Joy down in my heart...
I start to sing and I sing it with the children really loud so they can hear me.
I start by singing I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my arm, down in my arm
and then they look at me as I keep singing. Then i stop and ask what?
They do correct me. I ask them if they would like to see my joy down in my arm.
I then pull out of my sleeve a small animal balloon blown up and the word joy on it.
Then I say okay I have the words.
I sing again I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my leg....
down in my leg....
then again I ask what... I ask if they would like to see the joy down in my leg...
I then pull out of the bottom of my pant leg a small felt banner I have made that says JOY on it.
All the time acting a little on the dumb side to the real words of the song.
Then I ask them where is the joy then really where is the joy if it is not in my arm or in my pants where is the joy?
They scream in your heart.
Then you sing the song with them.

I like that one Daisy Doo.

I do a lot of gospel clowning and several routines come to mind.

you said pear (pear) pressure. One of my favorite is "pressured Balloon", from the booklet gospel Clowning. basically it is clown 1 has bought 2 balloons, one has been blown up an the other not. the clown is going to give the blown up one to the ringmaster (pastor, youth pastor, etc) and is trying to put it in a box that is too small. The clown uses 'clownish' props to try to get the balloon in the box, plunger, foam hammer or tools, etc. finally the balloon pops, and clown 2 enters. asks what is goin on, clown 1 explains about the gift, and clown 2 can talk about giving in to peer pressure and getting in trouble etc. finally suggests clown 2 give his uninflated balloon instead.

Another one i do is called Hop to heaven, where clown one see a sign labeled heaven with an arrow pointing up. clown 1 uses balloons (260 and 360) to make wings, ladder, hellicopter hat, etc finely ending up making a pogo stick (2 260 balloons swords connected at point with wide handles.) and tries to hop to heaven. one balloon pops leaving clown holding the other one which looks like a cross. clown 2 or other person enters and asks clown1 what is going on. clown 1 tells all he has tried, and clown 2 replies that clown1 is holding the answer the cross. clown 2 procedes to go through the plan of salvation. finally stating that Jesus died on the cross for everyone, boys, girls, men, women, young, old and yes even clowns.

Yes, when i clown, i bring a message. Sometimes it takes a clown, to hold peoople's attention long enough for them to accept the message.

I hope you do not get tired of me giving you ideas !!!
I do a quick gift with a child I feel looks sad or needs some kind
of cheering up in the time I am with them during the show.
I go to the dollar store and get a glass jar and I fill it with treats that could
be for a boy or a girl. I decorate the outside of the jar.
During the show I will get the jar full of treats and i will tell
them that God's Love is free and a gift for us totally free. I then give the jar to the child and I tell them that God's Love is like me walking up to them and saying "Hey I like your smile, here is something special just for you". The kids go nuts. Showing God's Love...

All I do is gospel clowning...

These have been great ideas... I really like the "pear" pressure... may have to borrown that one.

We have done the how to get to heaven- we use a big map... 1 clown comes in with the map and is looking at the map, then looking up to heaven

clown 2 comes in holding a phone... sees clown 1... asks what he is doing... says no you have to call heaven you can't drive there... pressing buttons trying to get the operator

clown 3 comes in carrying a bible... and is watching the others... asks what are you doing? as the clowns explain they are trying to reach heaven... clown 3 explains the message of the gospel...

When we clown- we usually do so in Mexico, where we do not speak the language... so all of our skits are set to music and motions... we always include the bible and folding our hands praying and pointing... the kids always get it.

Another one of our favorites and one the kids just love... is the clown armor of God.

We usually have 3 clowns... and a box with props.

clown 1 is the devil- black cape and big boxing gloves

clown 2 is engaged in a fight with clown 1... runs to clown 3 for help

clown 3 looks at the bible and hands clown 2 props from the box- each representing a piece of the armor...
(bicycle helmet, life jacket, some floaty thing that attaches around the waist, flippers, floating seat as the shield, and a light saber for the sword of truth -one of those that retracts- and a bible)

each time clown 2 gets a piece of the armor, she goes back and fights... getting beat up each time... until finally the last piece is the sword and clown 2 is fully dressed in the armor of God... this time clown 2 defeats the devil.

a good one for peer pressure is the sin box....

have 2 boxes or round tubs

clown 1 comes and looks at the box, thinking hey not bad... steps in, and out, then back in... is enjoying this... can even show clown smoking, or laughing at someone...

clown 2 comes along, asks clown 1 what he is doing- hanging out in this box... points to the other box- join me this is fun... clown 2 steps in, then out, then back in, turns around- tries smoking or laughing at others... then decides it's really not fun- but he is stuck in the box- oh what to do. tries everything possible to get out...

clown 3 comes and tries to help (can have a box of props- hammers, and such to get him loose)... then at the bottom of the props is the bible... takes the bible to clown stuck in the box, they read it, clown 2 prays then is able to step out of the box.

(You can do this with 2 clowns and 1 tub as well)